Deie e foe solid mateeials



Nov. 9 1926.

A. W. TYLER DRIER FOR SOLID MATERIALS Filed March 19. 1925 Ja e/afar. Jim. K Z'ylen Patented Nov. 9, 192%.

aren't ALvA'w. TYLER, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

DEIE'R'EOR SOLID MATERIALS.

Application filed March 19, 1925.

This invention has to do with driers and is particularly concerned with devices for drying material having granular or powdery characteristics when dry but which is cakey and adherent when damp.

The thorough drying of such material is an exceedingly diflicult task when using ordinary methods- For instance, an ordinary rotary rock drying machine does not function at all satisfactorily in connection with this class of material due to its tendency to cake on the drier shell. The material must be constantly broken up and agitated so the drying air may reach all its particles. However, mere agitation and the passage of heated air through the agitated mass does not sufiice. The material should also protowards the hotter areas of the heater, which areas are preferably near the delivery end of the device. If it be allowed to spread out and flow downwardly in comparatively thin sheets through heated air, it must'be periodically interrupted in itspassage so it may remain within the drier the requisite time for completedrying. Each time it is interrupted during its earlier stage when excess moisture is present, it tends to pack or cake up and must be freed from the in terrupting means and agitated before it may again flow to the next point of interruption. Preferably, I arrange means for agitating the material practically continuously during each period of interruption in its progress through the drier and thus prevent the damp particles from ad hering to one another sutliciently long to form cakes.

There is also difficulty in preventing damp material from adhering to the sides and interior mechanism of the drier.

My device effectually solves the problems encountered in drying material of this natare besides being of a simple construction and cheap operation, as will be understood from the detailed description following later. l i

Generally described, the drier is in the form ofa vertically arranged cylindrical stack, there being providedan' elevator for delivering material to be dried to the .top of the stack. Within the stack are'a plurality of horizontally arrangedand vertically spaced shelves or barriers, each bar rier having a central opening whereby pusher' arms on a centrally arranged and .rotat;

Serial No. 16,827.

As the material passes downwardly through the stack, it is met by an upwardly directed flow of heated air, which serves to heat and dry the material, both as it passes through the air from shelf to shelf, and by heating the shelves and cones in a manner to dry the material as it rests on or moves over them.

At the base of the stack is arranged a conveyor to carry off the dry material, while an induction fan and dust collector may be connected with the top of the stack to carry oli? the hot, dust laden air.

Other objects and novel features of the invention will be discussed in the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a medial section, partly in elevation, through a drier embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, a cylindrical, vertically arranged stack is designated at 10, there being a centrally arranged shaft 11 extending therethrough and having bearings at 12 and 13 (it may also have hearing at intermediate points when the shaft length demands such provision). The shaft is adapted to be rotated in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3) by such means as power shaft 14. Vertically spaced within and fastened to-stack 10 are the'horizontal shelves or barriers 15 through which shaft 11 extends. These shelves may besupporteol by any suitable means, for instance, by an gleiron rings 16 and cross bars l6 riveted to the inner wall of the stack. The stack may be lined with'fire brick 17, or the like, part way up or thioughout its" vertical extent.

'proach said inner face.

shelf defined compartments B during shaft rotation. The arms of each series are angularly spaced and arranged one immediately above the other so they are adapted to sweep through different horizontal planes. The lowermost arm of each series is adapted to engage and sweep over the top of the shelf below.

The outer edges of barriers follow around the inner face of the stack, while the inner edges spiral towards or gradually ap- Taking a typical barrier 15, for instance, it will be seen that it decreases in width from its widest point as it extends around the stack in the direction of shaft rotation so the inner edge 21 of the barrier defines an opening 22 of progressively increasing horizontal extent. There may be a gap 23 between the wide end 20 and the narrow end 2%. Vertically adjacent barriers (for instance, 15 and 15 are so relatively arranged that the gap 23 of one lies over the wider portion of the other so there will be no direct passageway from top to bottom of the stack, as would be the case if the gaps of all barriers were in vertical alinement.

Upwardly pointing cones 25 are secured to shaft 11 between barriers, the cone bases being of a diameter to distribute to the barrier below material emptied thereon from the opening of the barrier above. Stationary scrapers 26 are secured to angle irons 16 and bars 16 and are adapted to scrape damp material from the uppermost cone as the latter rotates with shaft 11. hen the material, during its downward progress, is sufficiently dry these scrapers may be discontinued.

A vertically arranged bucket elevator 27 (operated from power shaft 28, for instance) is adapted to take damp material from hopper 29 and deliver it through chute 30 to the wider portion of the uppermost barrier 15*. The pusher arms immediately above this barrier spread the material thereover' and sweep it progressively over the inner edge of saidbarrier, such of the material as lies adjacent to the stack base being swept over end 24 to the barrier below. The sev eral pusher arms above barrier 15 sweep off individual layers of material so large quan= tities of material may be handled without necessitating excessively heavy pusher arm construction and-sothere will be no'oppor tunity' for acake of great thickness-to accumulate on the barrier. The sweeping o fi of the material in layers also providesaddi ti-onal-agitation for the material, and more theirouah -r enposes-the partieles to drying action.

Most of the material drops through openlng 22 to the cone immediately therebeneath which, in turn, distributes it over barrier 15, though the arms underlying barrier 15 agitate the material during its distribution over ticlesdrop from barrier to barrier, but also heats the barriers and comes so they have drying act-ion while the material lies thereon or passes thereover. Thus, the material in dropping from one shelf to the next, twice comes in contact with the heated air; first, as'it falls from shelf to cone, anc second, when it drops from cone to shelf.

For regulation purposes, there may be a cold air inlet at 32 in fine 33 between furnace and stack, and an outlet pipe 3-1 may lead from the otherwise closed top 35 of the heater to an induction fan and dust collector 36.

The dry material passes from opening 22 in the lowermost barrier 15 to incline 37 which delivers it to a take-off conveyor 38 driven from power shaft 39.

It will be understood that various changes in design, structure and arrangement lie within the scope of certain of my appended claims, and therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the illustrated and described embodiment of the invention except for such limitations as a fair interpretation of said claims may import.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a vertically arranged cylindrical stack, means for delivering material to be dried to the top of the stack, a series of horizontally arranged and vertically spaced barriers in the stack, the outer edge of each barrier conforming substantially to the inner peripheral face of the stack, each barrier at its point of greatest width being of less hori zontal extent than the radius of the stack and diminishing in width as it circles about the stack from said widest point, and means for pushing the material from a given barrir tothe openin defined'by the inner edge thereof. V

2.; Ina 'de'vic'e'of'th'e character described, a vertically arranged cylindrical stack, means for delivering material to be dried to the top the-stack, series of horizontally an ranged-and vertically spaced barriers in the ill stack, a vertically arranged shaft extending through the barriers, means for rotating the shaft, pushers on the shaft between the barriers, the outer edge of each barrier conforming substantially to the inner peripheral face of the stack, each barrier at its point of greatest width being of less horizontal extent than the radius of the stack and diminishing in width in the direction of pusher rotation.

3. In a device of the character described, a vertically arranged cylindrical stack, means for delivering material to be dried to thetop of the stack, a series of horizontally arranged and vertically spaced barriers in the stack, the outer edge of each barrier conforming substantially to the inner peripheral face of the stack, each barrier at its point of greatest width being of less horizontal extent than the radius of the stack and diminishing in width as it circles about the stack from said widest point, the barriers being arranged so the narrowest portion of one is out of vertical register with the narrowest portion of the adjacent barrier, and means for pushing the material from a given barrier to the opening defined by the inner edge thereof.

4. In a device of the character described, a vertically arranged stack, means for de livering material to be dried to the top of the stack, a series of horizontally arranged and vertically spaced barriers in the stack, said barriers having openings for the gravitation of said material from barrier to barrier, a shaft extending vertically through the barriers, means for rotating the shaft, a plurality of angularly spaced pusher arms on the shaft above each barrier, the several pusher arms in a given group being positioned to rotate through different horizontal planes.

5. In a device of the character described, a cylindrical stack, a barrier horizontally arranged within the stack and with its outer edge substantially complementary to the stack bore, a vertical shaft extending through the center of the stack, pusher arms on the shaft above the barrier, and means for driving the shaft to operate the pusher arms, the barrier at its point of greatest width being of less horizontal extent than the radius of the stack and diminishing in width in the direction of pusher rotation.

6. In. a device of the character described, a cylindrical stack, a barrier horizontally arranged within the stack and with its outer edge substantially complementary to the stack bore, a vertical shaft extending through the center of the stack, pusher arms on the shaft above the barrier, means for driving the shaft to operate the pusher arms, the barrier at its point of greatest width be ing of less horizontal extent than the radius of the stack and diminishing in width in the width in the direction of pusher rotation,

said pusher arms being angularly spaced about the shaft and arranged to rotate in different horizontal planes.

8. In a device of the character described, a cylindrical stack, a barrier horizontally arranged within the stack and with its outer edge substantially complementary to the stack bore, a .vertical shaft extending through the center of the stack, pusher arms on the shaft above the barrier, and

means for driving the shaft to operate the pusher arms, the barrier at its point of greatest width being of less horizontal extent than the radius of the stack and diminishing in width in the direction of pusher rotation, said pusher arms being angularly spaced about the shaft and arranged to rotate in different horizontal planes, and the lowermost arms being adapted to engage and sweep over the barrier.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 2nd day of January, 1925.

ALVA W. TYLER.

LSO 

